COSTA MESA, Calif., Aug. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. pharmacy industry, historically one of the most customer-centric industries measured by J.D. Power, continues to set a high bar for delivering superior levels of customer satisfaction in both the brick-and-mortar and mail order segments, according to the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Pharmacy Study,SM released today. Among the key factors driving the highest levels of customer satisfaction are the availability of health and wellness services in brick-and-mortar pharmacies and the timeliness of delivery for mail order pharmacies.

"The retail pharmacy business has been in the spotlight ever since Amazon announced in June 2018 that it's getting into the space," said Greg Truex, Senior Director and Healthcare Practice Leader at J.D. Power. "Amazon, or any other organization looking to disrupt the $100 billion U.S. mail order pharmacy market, will have their work cut out for them. Legacy pharmacy players have invested heavily in delivering superior service, while brick-and-mortar pharmacies are starting to reap significant customer satisfaction gains from retail-style clinics offering health and wellness services."

Following are some of the key findings of the 2018 study:

U.S. consumers love their pharmacies: The average customer satisfaction score for brick-and-mortar pharmacies (847 on a 1,000-point scale) and mail order (859) compare favorably with other high-scoring industries evaluated by J.D. Power, such as direct banks (863), property and casualty insurance companies (860) and full-service investment advisors (839). Among the different pharmacy segments, supermarkets have the highest levels of overall satisfaction (863).

Retail health clinics paying dividends in customer satisfaction: Among brick-and-mortar pharmacies, the key driver of overall customer satisfaction is the availability of health and wellness services. Availability of these services is associated with a 66-point improvement in overall satisfaction. Such services are currently present in 86% of chain drug stores, 83% of supermarket pharmacies and 75% of mass merchandiser pharmacies

On-time delivery is priority for mail order pharmacies: Among mail order pharmacies, the key driver of overall customer satisfaction is having a prescription ready/delivered when promised. Delivering prescriptions on time is associated with a 78-point increase in overall customer satisfaction. Customers also evaluate the speed of delivery, adding 42 points to overall satisfaction scores when prescriptions are received within five days of completing an order.

Service with a smile still matters: Amidst the talk in the industry about distribution channels, supply chains and drug costs, some of the most significant drivers of customer satisfaction in all pharmacy segments includes friendly, engaging service. Among brick-and-mortar pharmacies, the second-most effective driver of overall satisfaction is "non-pharmacist staff greeted you in a friendly manner," which is associated with a 64-point increase in customer satisfaction. Even in the mail order segment, a "thank you" from non-pharmacist staff is associated with a 17-point increase in satisfaction.

The U.S. Pharmacy Study, now in its 10th year, measures customer satisfaction with brick-and-mortar and mail order pharmacies. The 2018 study is based on responses from 10,749 pharmacy customers who filled a prescription during the three months prior to the survey period of May-June 2018.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power is headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., and has offices serving North/South America, Asia Pacific and Europe. J.D. Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer.

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